Four awesome live electronic musicians you need to check out
3 min read
There is something truly magical about musicians who are able to create a song from scratch in real time live. Today I want to showcase some of the coolest live electronic producers who take this to the next level.
All the people featured here are masters of both production and performance (simultaneously) and are a great case study in how an electronic track can be constructed quickly.
Of course, these are just one person’s opinion so if you know of any producers who deserve a massive shout out, or indeed, if you are one, let us know in the comments below!
- READ MORE: Ableton shortcuts guide – what are they and when to use?
- READ MORE: Using grooves in Ableton to tighten your mix
Rachel K Collier
My favourite musician to watch at the moment, Welsh producer Rachel K Collier uses a combination of synths, vocal loops, and samples to construct her music on the fly.
Not only does she have an envy-inducing mastery of Ableton’s performance capabilities, she has a fantastic set of vocal chords which complement her bouncy, poppy sound.
Complementing her performance videos, her YouTube channel also features a variety of guides and tip videos.
Beardyman
You have probably heard of him, you probably know him as one of the best beatboxers in the world. Yes, I’ve included Beardyman, because what he does goes far beyond your normal beatboxing.
Early performances by Beardyman focused on mostly live looping his mouth sounds using Korg’s Kaoss Pads.
As he grew in prominence, he ended up building his own custom setup which uses four iPads and custom looping software.
His performances include major festival lineups and the Edinburgh Fringe, where he takes genre suggestions from the audience and makes crazy hybrids that should never work … but do!
His vast knowledge of music and improvisational comedy secure the performances.
He has even done a TED Talk … not many producers are lucky enough to get that opportunity!
Neon Vines
Texan multi-instrumentalist and producer Neon Vines is another Ableton Live wizard.
Performing with a sweet setup (including a Roli keyboard and the skills to match), Neon Vines combines groovy house with some epic synth solos.
One of the standout features of Neon Vines’s performances are her vocal effects which use effects like Waves OVOX for awesome vocal resynthesis.
The great thing about some of her videos is that they include an analysis of the song after the performance so viewers can learn from her.
Giolì & Assia
Next up, is Giolì & Assia, an Italian duo of producers, multi-instrumentalists, singers, songwriters, record label owners, and DJs.
The pair have a variety of setups, normally including a hand pan and either a drum machine or DJ setup.
What I love about their songs is the simplicity of it. The one linked above has only a drum machine, hand pan, and vocals, yet feels complete.
Their videos are always my first watch when I’m feeling uninspired with a 50+ track song that sounds rubbish, because they give me faith that I can strip back.
Their sound is deep and even when their DJ performances stray into slightly heavier beats, the ethereal sounds of the hand pan ground the music into a mystical motion.
There are few producers who’s music could be appropriate in both a club and a meditation session.
